Help! Aquabee pump cleaning

[tony varrell]

I need to clean my pump with Muradic acid. Never done it before. How much should I use? Do you dilute it? How long do you soak the pump? Which parts should not touch to acid? When you are finished cleaning how to make sure all the acid is gone. Oh the pump is a 2001 for a deltec skimmer..

[USC-fan]

I have always use just vinegar to clean my AB pumps.

[Haxer]

i use vinager myself , but if it had really bad calcium deposits i would use the muratic acid , dilute it 50/50 with water. I was told by doug from deltec us that the whole pump was safe to clean this way, dissasembled of course. But i would remove the plastic bushings from the impeller shafe and not put them in there.
muratic acid is strong stuff, be careful and do it outside with plenty of ventalation. the fumes are toxic and corrosive so dont use any metal. also this is from the deltec forum here on RC , check it out sometime ...
Skimmer Maintenance
i have been receiving a lot of calls and pm's about how to take care of the Deltec skimmers. the instructions don't really cover this subject as clearly as necessary so here's what you'll want to do....

on a weekly basis, take off the venturi tap, turn the handle so that it's set to the wide open position, and blow through the barbed end. this will clean out any dust particles that may have accumulated in the valve and blocked the air intake.

once a month, while the recirc pump is running, carefully remove the venturi hose from the pump elbow nipple. using a small drill bit, carefully scrape around in the inside of the nipple to dislodge any calcium build-up that might have formed inside of it.

every 4-6 months, clean the pump/needlewheel in either muriatic acid or Ezeclean (which is what i sell for this purpose). i have found through talking to a great number of reefkeepers using Deltec products that vinegar will not always completely clean all the parts thoroughly. you'll want to be very careful with the acid as it is a nasty substance. only use it outside, and read all the warning labels carefully. most pool/spa places should carry it, and potentially either Sears or Home Depot/Lowes. if you do not feel comfortable using the acid, the Ezeclean is a powder that mixes with water that you can use instead. you can get more information on it from the Deltec USA website here:

http://deltecusa.us/aquariummedia/ezeclean.php

also, if you're running ozone through your skimmer, you should replace the venturi valve and your o-rings once a year or so to make sure they don't become brittle.

if you notice that your skimmer isn't performing like it used to, or are seeing a diminished bubble volume, one or all of the above cleaning methods should be completed.

hth
Doug